Swat operation in final phase

ISLAMABAD - As the military offensive 'Rah-e-Rast in Swat Valley was successfully nearing culmination in dismantling militants last hideouts, the security forces have prepositioned to take on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Baitullah Mehsud and his terror networks in South Waziristan. Director-General ISPR Major General Ather Abbas said this in a joint Press briefing with Minister of Sate for Information Sumsam Bukhari here on Monday. The security forces are in the final phase of eliminating terrorist hideouts and camps in Swat, Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said, adding that sporadic clashes were going on as the military cleared the militants last strongholds in the scenic valley, and 22 militants had been killed in the last 24 hours. During search and cordon operation, he said the security forces had neutralised a number of IEDs and destroyed a number of small and big tunnels. He said security forces killed 14 terrorists during the link-up operation at Shamozai Bridge, while eight large size IEDs planted by terrorists were also neutralised. The forces, he said, had also successfully secured Biha Valley, besides clearing Bartana South of Chuprial, while three small size tunnels were destroyed at Loi Namal. Local Jirga handed over a terrorist to security forces at Behrain, while 4 other terrorists were apprehended at Wanai Bridge, Shalkosar, Bashkhela and Drushkhela. Yesterday in Upper Dir, during an encounter of Lashkar with terrorists, eight terrorists were killed, one got injured and one ran away. He said that security forces were carrying out search and cordon operation in Charmang Tehsil of Bajaur to flush out the terrorists from the area. DG ISPR said in all, 1,592 militants had been killed in the Swat offensive, while more than 100 soldiers were killed. As the security forces had pushed the militants out of most of Swat, there had been no word on the fate of their leaders. Commenting on Interior Minister Rehman Maliks statement that Taliban leader in Swat, Fazlullah, had been wounded, DG ISPR said there was no solid evidence available and intelligence agencies were trying to confirm the reports that some Taliban leaders had been wounded and a few had been killed. Answering a question, he declined to share the details of Rah-e-Nijat operation to target the TTP headquarters and chief of the outfit Baitullah Mehsud. His (Mehsud) network, the factory that he has set up where classes of suicide bombing and training are being conducted ... should be destroyed, overrun and dismantled, Abbas said. He said all the roads in Mingora city and Mingora bypass have been repaired for two-way traffic by Army Engineers. Electricity has been restored in Buner. Meanwhile Gas supply to Mingora and surrounding areas has been restored. PTCL 500 lines in Mingora are fully functional. PTCL is working to repair Optical Fibre and exchange at Saidu Sharif. Answering a question, General Ather said the security forces had successfully dismantled the militants networks in Malakand and Swat Valley and disrupted their supply routes. To another question about state of cooperation from the Afghan Government and the NATO forces to Pakistani security forces in their operations against terrorists, he emphasized the need for more cooperation. Answering a question, Minister of State for Information Sumsam Bukhari said that the government would leave no stone unturned in rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Reuters and AFP add: Security forces are near the end of their offensive in the Swat Valley, as clashes intensified with Taliban fighters in Waziristan, the Army spokesman said. Fighter jets pounded strongholds of Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in the tribal regions where the military is steeling for a full-scale offensive, while militants stepped up resistance with rocket attacks on troops. We are in the preliminary phases of the operation. We are taking all the preparatory manoeuvres which allow the military to take positions before the start of operations, Maj Abbas told reporters. This operation is against the Baitullah Mehsud group and network which is involved in most of the terrorist attacks in the country, he added. Security officials said fighter jets targeted villages in Mehsuds stronghold of South Waziristan, southwest of Swat. Overnight Sunday, troops came under attack in the region. His (Mehsud) network, the factory that he has set up where classes of suicide bombing and training are being conducted ... should be destroyed, overrun and dismantled, Abbas said. Fighter jets pounded the compound of a local tribesman Malik Ameer in Kaniguram village, which was being used by rebels, a security official in the area said. Just on the border between North and South Waziristan, fighter jets bombed the home of a local Taliban commander killing four people including two women and wounding eight others, tribal police official Amanullah Wazir said. Rockets fired from unknown locations hit camps of security forces in the rugged mountainous tribal regions of North and South Waziristan on Sunday night, a security official in the area said. In a further sign that rebels were stepping up resistance in the tribal belt, a military convoy was ambushed just west of North Waziristans main town Miranshah, with three solders hurt, another security official said. Meanwhile, Up to 45,000 people have left their homes, many fearing a military offensive against Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud in a tribal district bordering Afghanistan, an official said Monday. The total figure for people moving out of South Waziristan is about 45,000, Colonel Waseem Ahmed, spokesman of Special Support Group for internally displaced persons told AFP. But he said most had already moved out in winter as part of normal seasonal migration to live in adjoining northwestern districts. The number of recent migration is between 12,000 to 15,000, Col Waseem said and added that they were living with the host families outside South Waziristan and that no camp had been set up for IDPs from Waziristan so far. We expect the number to rise to 60,000. Our Monitoring Desk adds: Five people including four women were killed when a rocket hit a house adjacent to Hakeem Kallay police station in Bannu, reported a private TV channel on Monday, quoting its sources. Three other people were' injured in the incident. Some unknown militants fired at least five rockets at the police station from unknown direction. One of the rockets hit a house near to the police station killing five residents including four women. The injured were shifted to nearby hospital. Heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area and started search operations.